Combined water-heater and condenser



F. J. LARKWORTHY. COMBINED WATER HEATER AND CONDENSER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYSI, 1918.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COMBINED WATER-,HEATER AND CONDENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

I Application filed May 31, 1918. Serial 110. 237,380.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. LARK- woRrHY, a citizenof the UnitedStates, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Guyahoga, and State ofOhio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in CombinedlVater-Heaters and Condensers, of which the following is aspecification,the principle of the invention being herein explained andthe best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, soas to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention relates to a combined water heater and condenserin which provision is made for condensing exhaust steam and at the sametime heating the water to be fed to the boilers, and means are alsoprovided for passing the steam through a water spray so that it isentirely condensed and the heated water passed out to the boiler. Othermeans are provided for regulating the amount. of water so that onlysufficient water will be used to condense the steam, thus heating thewater to the highest possible point before feeding it into the boiler. Ihave also provided means for taking the heated water out of thecondenser without mixing the same with the exhaust steam, so that clearwater can be obtained when desired. To the accomplishment of theforegoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the meanshereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.I

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Figure 1 isa sectional view through thecondenser showing the lay-out of the device; Fig. 2 1S an enlargedsection taken on the line 22 Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a section taken onthe line 3-3 Fig. 1;

As shown, the condenser consists of two lengths of double pipe, it beingof course understood that the number'of lengths of pipe will be variedto suit conditions. The outer pipe or casing 1 is provided at the inletend with a Y 2, which isthreaded onto the pipe and which has a bushing 3threaded into its outer end. Within this bushing, a nipple 4 is fitted,through which is mounted. the water pipe 5, a cap .6 being mounted overthe pipe and having threaded engagement with the outer end of thebushing to hold the packing I suitable pipe connection (not shown) beingemployed.

At its rear end, the steam casing is provided with a T 17 and packingjoint for the water pipe similar to the joint at its inlet end, thewater pipe passing t'herethrough and being connected by elbows 10 and aunion 11 to the water pipe 12 in the second steam casing. 13. The twosteam casings are connected by pipes 14 and a union 15, the pipes beingthreaded into the leads 16 ofthe two Ts 17.

The joints provide expansion means between the two pipes and casings andare similar to the joint at the inlet end. To prevent the water pipefrom sagging, the steam casing is preferably formed of two lengths ofpipe and a T 18 is provided between the two lengths, the small outlet 19of the T having a cap 20. A short piece of pipe 21 is fitted in suchoutlet 19 and supported by the cap, the upper end of said pipe beingsplit to receive and support the water pipes 5 and 12, as best shown inFig. 3.

Near the outlet of the condenser, the water pipe is provided with a T22, which receives a pipe 23 extending through a packing box 24 in a T40 mounted in the steam-casing.

' This pipe 23 is provided with a valve 25 outside of the steam casing.

At the outlet end, the steam casing is provided with a T cap 26 havingan outlet pipe 27 with a valve 28 therein. In the outer end of the cap26, a bushing 32 is mounted, which has a cap 33 threaded on its outerend forming a packed joint about the extending portion ofthe water pipe12. A valve is mounted in this pipe 12, the valve cap 40 having threadedengagement with the pipe and the valve stem 41 having threadedengagement with the cap, as best shown in Fig. 2. This valve is providedwith the usual handle 29 and a piston valve preferably- 0f brass 30mounted within the water pipe 12 which from the T 22 to the valve ispreferably of brass or bronze. The water pipe adjacent the valve has aseries of small apertures 31, these preferably being inclined so as tothrow the water forwardly against the steam casing. The apertures areformed in circles, the apertures of each circle being set at an angle tothose of the preceding circle. One satisfactory arrangement has been tworows or circles of four apertures and then three circles of sixapertures and three circles of eight apertures. By means of the valvepiston 80, the number of apertures which are open may be varied to givethe correct amount of spray necessary to condense the steam.

When the device is used as a combined surface and jet condenser and feedwater heater for boilers, the valve will be closed and the valve 28'willbe open, the piston valve 30 beingadjusted to the point where the steamin the casing will just be condensed when it has passed through thespray. When a full head of steam is used, the piston 30 will bewithdrawn, allowing the water to spray out of all of the apertures inthe pipe, but when a less amount of steam-isto be condensed, the piston30 willbe moved forwardly,'cutting down the length of the spray to theamount necessary to condense the steam. If the device is to be usedmerely as a surface water heater or steam condenser, or when clear hotwater 'is desired, then the piston valve 30 will be moved forwardly toclose the pipe ahead of the apertures and the valve 25 will be opened,the heated water passing out through the pipe 23 and the condensate andany excess steam exhausting between the va ve 28 and the pipe 27. Whenacting in this way, the water taken from the pipe 23 will be erfectlyclear and will not be mixed at all with any of the steam.

By inclining the apertures 31 forwardly, the water is forced out of thepipe in apear-shaped spray, the pressure being sufficient to force thespray against the inner wall of the steam casing, thus making a completewater seal, so thatno steam can pass the same without being condensed.The device is adapted to be used with ordinary city water pressure inthe water pipe, the apertures being of the correct size so that when allare open, the water'pressure is sufiicient to give a spray from eachaperture which will strike the inner wall of the steam casing. Thus byregulating the piston valve, the amount of Water used-can be regulated,the length ofthe spray being changed to suit conditions.

As shown in the drawings, the first steam casing 1 will be preferably a3 pipe or "tube, the water pipe being an inch in di-.

ameter, while the second casing 13 is shown as a 2 pipe with a l waterpipe running therethrough. These particular ratios are not essential,but the steam casin hould be large enough at the beginning so that thesteam will pass readily therethrough without putting any back pressureon the steam line and thus on the engine or other apparatus. As itpasses through the casing, the steam will become more and more condensedand thus the necessity for the large pipe grows less and this makes itpossible to use a smaller steam casing on the second or succeedinglines.

By the present device, I have been able to use steam to preheat thewaterfor the boilers, at the same time'varying the amount of water which isto be heated, so that'it will be fed to the boiler at the highestpossible temperature. A perfect water seal is obtained, the length ofthe spray being changed with variationsin the amount of steam passingthrough the condenser. I have also provided means forobtaining hot waterfrom the device when desired, this water being clear and not beingcontaminated by the exhaust steam. The use of the regulating valve,together with apertures V which form the pear-shaped spray, gives ahaust steam is used as theheating medium.

Other modes of applying the'principle of my invention may be employedinstead of Tthe one explained, change being made as regards themechamsmherem d1sclosed,pr0-

vided themeans stated by an of the following claims or the equiva ent ofsuch stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis tinctl claim as myinvention 1. fll a condenser and water heater the combinationof a steamcasing and inlet and outlet openings at its ends, a water pipe mountedwithin said casing and extending outwardly of the same, packed jointsbetween said casing and said pipe, said water pipe being provided nearthe outlet end with forwardly inclined apertures adapted to form apear-shaped water spray against the lnterlor of said casing, saidapertures being 7 arranged in circles around said pipe, the number ofapertures per 011K318 ncreasing toward the outlet. end of said pipe, apiston valve mounted in said pipe and adapted to close such apertures,and a valve controlled water outlet pipe mounted through said casing andconnected with said water pipe in front of said apertures.

,2.-In a condenserand water heater the combinationv o fa steam casingand inlet and outlet openings at its ends, a water pipe mounted withinsaid casing and extending outwardly of the same, packed joints betweensaid casing and said pipe, said water pipe being provided near theoutlet end with forwardly inclined apertures adapted to form apear-shaped water spray against the interior of said casing, saidapertures being arranged in circles around said pipe the 10 number ofapertures per circle increasing toward the outlet end of said pipe, apiston Valve mounted in said pipe and adapted to close such apertures, awater outlet pipe connected to said water pipe and passing through saidsteam casing, a Valve in said outlet pipe mounted exteriorly of saidcasing to control the flow of water therethrough.

Signed bme, this 24th da of May, 1918. FRED RICK .J. LAB WORTHY.

